


A Conversation In Flowers

by katmarajade



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Engagement, F/M, Flowers, Language of Flowers, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-17
Updated: 2014-03-17
Packaged: 2018-01-16 02:47:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1329031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katmarajade/pseuds/katmarajade
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Neville gives Ginny a special bouquet.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Conversation In Flowers

When Neville thinks about the most beautiful things he has ever seen in his entire life, the list goes something like this:

  1. Ginny, the first time she kissed him with her cheeks flushed from the cold, her eyes full of want, and the afternoon sun hitting her hair and making her glow.
  
  

  2. Ginny, when she came down the stairs for the Yule Ball in her second-hand dress robes and the biggest smile he'd ever seen.
  
  

  3. Ginny, when he caught sight of her for the first time after the battle of Hogwarts, covered in ashes and dirt with a bruise on her cheek and her red hair knotted into complete disaster, but safe and alive. 
  
  

  4. A Meliarian Fire Rose in full bloom
  
  

  5. A small clearing in the Wood behind his house, surrounded by evergreens. In the late winter afternoons the sun hits the trees, trimmed in ice and snow, and they sparkle and shine, their splendor nothing short of magical.



 

It's why he decides to take Ginny to that clearing on a clear, cold December day. Ginny, who is always game for anything, holds his hand and looks around appreciatively as they traipse through the crunchy snow.

When the reach the clearing, he pulls out a blanket (spelled for warmth) and lays it out for her. Ginny sits, maintaining an unusual silence as if she can sense that this place is something special.

Neville takes a deep breath, nerves playing with his heart, as he sits beside her. The timing is perfect and within several minutes, the sun dips just low enough and begins to set the icy trees aglow in a display of unrivaled natural beauty. The sun hits Ginny's hair as well and Neville thinks that there has never been anything in the world so beautiful.

Reaching into his bag again, Neville pulls out a flower and hands it to Ginny. She accepts the flower with a small smile teasing at her lips, looking at him for the explanation, because Neville always gives flowers with purpose.

"It's a chrysanth, the red ones mean love," he says softly and she smiles. He continues to pull flowers from the satchel and hand them to her, explaining each one.

"Forget-me-not for memories, dragon root for ardor, oak leaf for bravery." She collects them, touching each one gently before adding it to the growing bouquet in her lap.

"Yellow tulips means there's sunshine in your smile," Neville says, his heart racing. She graces him with a smile that puts sunshine to shame and he shakily hands her a small pine branch. "Pine is for hope."

She watches him curiously as he takes another deep, wavering breath, and he's sure that his ears are bright red. He shakily takes out the last two flowers which are entwined together with a white ribbon. She accepts them, running a finger lightly over the blooms and looking at him expectantly.

"Erm, white violets mean, erm, they mean let's take a chance on happiness. And the orange blossoms are for… they're for…" He's stuttering again, he's so nervous and she's watching him carefully and he thinks she's holding her breath.

"Orange blossoms are for eternal love. And marriage." Ginny's eyes grow huge but she doesn't say anything, clearly waiting for him to ask the obvious question now.

"Will you? Erm, marry me, that is?" He holds his breath until she squeals and knocks him to the ground, kissing him messily, both of them grinning.

"Yes, yes, yes! What's a flower that means _yes_ , Neville, because I want to give you a whole bushel of those." She doesn't wait for his answer (solid colored carnations) and kisses him again, thoroughly, deeply, and achingly slow. When she finally raises her face, the frosty evergreens are glittering behind her, the setting sun is playing in her hair, and her brown eyes are shining with fiery joy and love.

Neville thinks back to his list and knows with sudden certainty that this moment right here will forever on be number one. Ginny in the wooded clearing with the winter sun glowing behind her and her eyes shining with happiness saying _yes_ is the most beautiful sight he will ever experience in his entire existence. And with relief, joy, and stunned disbelief all spinning in his chest and with Ginny still sprawled out on top of him, he smiles.

*fin


End file.
